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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{for-multi|the bird|great auk|the European surname|Auch (name)|the Die Ärtze album|auch (album)}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name               = Auch
|commune status     = [[Prefectures of France|Prefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image              = Auch1.jpg
|caption            = Cathedral
|image coat of arms = Blason Auch 32.svg
|arrondissement     = Auch
|canton             = [[Canton of Auch-1|Auch-1]], [[Canton of Auch-2|Auch-2]], [[Canton of Auch-3|Auch-3]]
|INSEE              = 32013
|postal code        = 32000
|mayor              = Christian Laprébende<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=13 September 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
|term               = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality   = [[Communauté d'agglomération Grand Auch Cœur de Gascogne|CA Grand Auch Cœur Gascogne]]
|coordinates        = {{coord|43.6465|0.5855|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m        = 166
|elevation min m    = 115
|elevation max m    = 281
|area km2           = 72.48
|population         = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}

'''Auch''' ({{IPA|fr|ᴐʃ|-|Fr-Auch.ogg}}; {{langx|oc-gascon|Aush}} {{IPA|oc|ˈawʃ|}}) is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in southwestern France. Located in the [[Regions of France|region]] of [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitanie]], it is the capital of the [[Gers]] [[Departments of France|department]]. 

==Geography==

=== Localization ===
[[File:Auch OSM 01.png|thumb|center|300px|'''OpenStreetMap''']]
[[File:Auch OSM 02.png|thumb|center|300px|'''Topographic map''']]
[[File:Auch OSM 03.png|thumb|center|300px|'''Auch and its surrounding communes''']]
[[File:Map commune FR insee code 32013.png|thumb|center|300px|'''Auch and its surrounding communes''']]

The commune of Auch is located in the [[arrondissement of Auch]] and in the [[Gers (river)|Gers]] valley, roughly in the centre of the [[Gers]] département. Auch is {{convert|69|km|miles}} west of [[Toulouse]], the capital of the [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitanie region]], and {{convert|74|km|miles}}from [[Montauban]], {{convert|63|km|miles}} from [[Agen]], {{convert|92|km|miles}} from [[Mont-de-Marsan]], {{convert|86|km|miles}} from [[Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques|Pau]] and {{convert|62|km|miles}} from [[Tarbes]], the capitals of the neighbouring départements. It is 162 km from [[Bordeaux]], {{convert|390|km|miles}} from [[Marseille]] and {{convert|409|km|miles}} from [[Lyon]], the capitals of the neighbouring regions, and {{convert|595|km|miles}}south-west of [[Paris]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.lion1906.com/Php/Resultats/Resultat_Orthodromie1.php?Insee1=32013&Insee2=&Ville1=Auch&Ville2= | title=Recherche d'orthodromie depuis Auch [Search for orthodromy from Auch]| website=le site lion1906 de Lionel Delvarre|access-date=March 17, 2024}}</ref>

The commune covers an [[area]] of {{convert|7,248|ha|acres}}.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=Auch : population, superficie, chômage, chiffres et informations essentielles [Auch: population, surface area, unemployment, key figures and information]|url=http://www.liberation.fr/france/auch_32000/informations/|website=[[Libération]]|access-date=March 17, 2024}}</ref>

===Surrounding communes===
Auch borders thirteen other communes: [[Barran]], [[Castillon-Massas]], [[Castin]], [[Duran, Gers|Duran]], [[Lasséran]], [[Leboulin]], [[Montaut-les-Créneaux]], [[Montégut, Gers|Montégut]], [[Ordan-Larroque]], [[Pavie]], [[Pessan]], [[Preignan]] and [[Roquelaure]].

===Geology and relief===
Auch has a minimum altitude of {{convert|115|m|ft}} and a maximum of {{convert|281|m|ft}}. Its average altitude is {{convert|198|m|ft}}, while that of its town hall is {{convert|134|m|ft}}<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=PLAN AUCH - Plan, carte et relief d'Auch 32810 ou 32000 [Plan, map and relief of Auch 32810 or 32000]|url=http://www.cartesfrance.fr/carte-france-ville/plan_32013_Auch.html|website=cartesfrance.fr|access-date=March 17, 2024}}</ref> The town and its surroundings have a hillside landscape.<ref>{{Cite web|title=paysages du gers [landscapes of the gers]|url=http://arbreetpaysage32.free.fr/|website=arbreetpaysage32.free.fr|access-date=March 17, 2024}}.</ref>

The commune covers an area of {{convert|7,248|ha|acres}}, making it the third largest in the département.<ref>''Répertoire géographique des communes'' [Geographical directory of municipalities], published by [[Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière|IGN]]</ref>

Centred on the middle [[Baïse]] valley, [[Armagnac]] is distributed along an east-west axis between [[Eauze]] and Auch. It includes [[County of Fézensac|Fezensac]] and [[Vic-Fezensac|Vic]].

The commune is located in seismicity zone 1 (very low seismicity).<ref>[http://planseisme.brgm.fr/spip.php?page=didacticiel3&code_insee=32013 Plan séisme]</ref>

=== Hydrography ===
[[File:32013-Auch-Routes-Hydro.png|upright=1.2|thumb|Auch's drainage systems, road networks and street network.]]

The [[Gers (river)|Gers]], a [[tributary]] of the [[Garonne]], flows through the town and divides the city between the upper town, on the left bank, the site of the [[Middle-ages|medieval]] city built on a hill where most of the ancient monuments are to be found, and the lower town, built on the plain on the right bank. The upper town is linked to the banks of the Gers by the medieval "''pousterles''", typical narrow streets with steep inclines, and by the monumental staircase inaugurated in 1863. The north of the town is also watered by the Arçon and Talouch rivers, tributaries of the Gers.

The lower town was devastated on several occasions (1897, 1952 for the most significant [[river overflow]]) before the course of the Gers was recalibrated following the 1977 floods in Gascony.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lambert |first1=Roger |last2=Vigneau |first2=Jean-Pierre |title=Les inondations catastrophiques de juillet 1977 en Gascogne. Étude géographique d'une situation. Problèmes de prévision et de prévention [The catastrophic floods of July 1977 in Gascony. Geographical study of a situation. Forecasting and prevention problems]|journal=[[Annales de Géographie]]|date=1981|url=http://www.persee.fr/doc/geo_0003-4010_1981_num_90_497_20002#geo_0003-4010_1981_num_90_497_T1_0042_0000}}</ref>

=== Transportation ===
Auch is well connected to nearby cities and towns such as [[Agen]], [[Toulouse]] and [[Tarbes]] by [[Route nationale (France)|Routes Nationales]] and by [[SNCF|train]] to [[Toulouse]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dogon |first=Cathy |date=2023-07-31 |title=Bus, train, vélo… les défis de SNCF Connect |magazine=Pour l'Éco |volume=53 |issue=6 |page=23 |doi=10.3917/poec.053.0023 |issn=2682-0889}}</ref>

{{clear left}}

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Auch (1991–2020 averages, extremes 1985–present)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 20.9
|Feb record high C = 25.2
|Mar record high C = 27.8
|Apr record high C = 29.4
|May record high C = 33.7
|Jun record high C = 39.4
|Jul record high C = 39.6
|Aug record high C = 42.6
|Sep record high C = 38.0
|Oct record high C = 34.2
|Nov record high C = 26.5
|Dec record high C = 21.8
|year record high C = 42.6
|Jan high C = 10.2
|Feb high C = 11.7
|Mar high C = 15.3
|Apr high C = 17.8
|May high C = 21.5
|Jun high C = 25.4
|Jul high C = 27.8
|Aug high C = 28.2
|Sep high C = 24.8
|Oct high C = 20.0
|Nov high C = 13.9
|Dec high C = 10.8
|year high C = 18.9
|Jan mean C = 5.9
|Feb mean C = 6.6
|Mar mean C = 9.6
|Apr mean C = 12.1
|May mean C = 15.8
|Jun mean C = 19.5
|Jul mean C = 21.6
|Aug mean C = 21.8
|Sep mean C = 18.4
|Oct mean C = 14.6
|Nov mean C = 9.3
|Dec mean C = 6.4
|year mean C = 13.5
|Jan low C = 1.6
|Feb low C = 1.5
|Mar low C = 3.9
|Apr low C = 6.5
|May low C = 10.1
|Jun low C = 13.6
|Jul low C = 15.4
|Aug low C = 15.4
|Sep low C = 12.0
|Oct low C = 9.1
|Nov low C = 4.7
|Dec low C = 2.1
|year low C = 8.0
|Jan record low C = -20.0
|Feb record low C = -13.6
|Mar record low C = -10.5
|Apr record low C = -4.4
|May record low C = -0.8
|Jun record low C = 2.6
|Jul record low C = 7.3
|Aug record low C = 3.6
|Sep record low C = 2.5
|Oct record low C = -3.5
|Nov record low C = -10.5
|Dec record low C = -12.4
|year record low C = -20.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 62.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 45.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 49.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 64.2
|May precipitation mm = 72.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 58.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 55.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 56.2
|Sep precipitation mm = 53.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 55.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 64.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 58.6
|year precipitation mm = 695.8
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 10.2
|Feb precipitation days = 7.9
|Mar precipitation days = 8.7
|Apr precipitation days = 10.0
|May precipitation days = 10.0
|Jun precipitation days = 7.7
|Jul precipitation days = 6.9
|Aug precipitation days = 6.6
|Sep precipitation days = 7.6
|Oct precipitation days = 8.8
|Nov precipitation days = 10.4
|Dec precipitation days = 9.6
|year precipitation days = 104.4
|Jan sun = 89.2
|Feb sun = 115.0
|Mar sun = 167.5
|Apr sun = 180.3
|May sun = 200.7
|Jun sun = 213.4
|Jul sun = 239.5
|Aug sun = 231.4
|Sep sun = 203.3
|Oct sun = 152.1
|Nov sun = 98.7
|Dec sun = 84.9
|year sun = 1975.9
|source 1 = Météo France<ref>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180416040935/https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_32013005.pdf
| archive-date = 16 April 2018
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_32013005.pdf
| title = Auch (32)
| work = Fiche Climatologique: Statistiques 1981–2010 et records
| publisher = Meteo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 16 April 2018}}</ref>
}}

==History and population==
{{see also|Ausci|archdiocese of Auch}}

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|1709|Auch}}</ref> and INSEE (1968-2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-32013#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |8444
|1800 |7696
|1806 |8918
|1821 |9670
|1831 |9801
|1841 |10867
|1846 |12323
|1851 |12141
|1856 |12001
|1861 |11899
|1866 |12500
|1872 |13087
|1876 |13785
|1881 |14186
|1886 |15090
|1891 |14782
|1896 |14838
|1901 |13939
|1906 |13526
|1911 |13638
|1921 |11825
|1926 |12272
|1931 |12567
|1936 |13313
|1946 |15253
|1954 |16382
|1962 |18918
|1968 |21462
|1975 |23185
|1982 |23258
|1990 |23136
|1999 |21838
|2007 |21704
|2012 |21960
|2017 |21935
|2018 |22200
}}

Auch is a very ancient town, whose settlement was noted by the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] during their conquest of the area in the {{nowrap|50s BC}}. At that time, it was settled by an [[Aquitani]]an tribe known to the Romans as the [[Ausci]]. Their name for the town was '''Climberrum'''<ref name=eb9>"{{Cite EB9|wstitle=Auch |volume=3 |page=67}}</ref> or '''Elimberris'''.<ref name=eb11>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Auch|volume=2 |pages=892–893}}</ref> This has been tentatively etymologized from the [[Iberian language|Iberian]] ''iltir'' ("town, [[oppidum]]") and a cognate of the [[Basque language|Basque]] ''berri'' ("new"), although another Iberian settlement in [[Granada]] recorded by the Romans as "Iliberi" probably had no contact with proto-Basque speaking peoples.<ref>Leopold von Ranke: Französische Geschichte. Essen 1996. p.182. [in German]</ref> The Romans renamed the town '''Augusta Auscorum''' or '''Ausciorum''' ("Augusta of the Ausci"). Augusta Auscorum was one of the twelve [[civitates]] of the [[Roman province|province]] of [[Novempopulana]] ([[Gascony]]) and became the provincial capital after the 409 destruction of [[Eauze]] by the [[Vandal]]s.

The common term [[Augusta (disambiguation)|Augusta]] was eventually{{when|date=August 2014}} dropped and the name evolved into the modern [[Gascon language|Gascon]] ''Aush'' and French ''Auch''.

In 732, during [[Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghafiqi|Abdul Rahman]]'s advance towards [[Bordeaux]] in the [[Umayyad invasion of Gaul]], the town was supposedly heavily shifted across the river to much of its present site to falter destruction.

The town became the seat of a [[Archdiocese of Auch|Catholic archdiocese]] which lasted until the [[French Revolution]]. [[Archbishops of Auch|Its archbishops]] claimed the title of [[Primate (bishop)|Primate]] of [[Aquitaine]], Novempopulana, and [[Navarre]].

==Sites of interest==
*Renaissance [[Auch Cathedral|Cathédrale Sainte-Marie]] with its magnificent organ, carved stalls and rose [[stained-glass windows]]
*La Tour d'Armagnac, a 14th-century prison, as well as a statue of [[d'Artagnan]] who was based on the real life person, Charles de Batz, Comte d'Artagnan born nearby in the château de Castelmore, and written about by [[Alexandre Dumas, père|Alexandre Dumas]].
* {{ill|Musée des Amériques (Auch)|fr|Musée des Amériques d'Auch}}, formerly known as the [[Musée des Jacobins (Auch)|Musée des Jacobins]]
* {{ill|Maison Henri IV (Auch)|fr}}
*[[Escalier monumental d'Auch|Escalier monumental]] Built in the 19th century

== Notable people ==
Auch was the birthplace of:
* [[Jacques Fouroux]] (1947–2005), [[rugby union]] player
* [[Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse]] (1750–1812), [[admiral]]
* [[Dominic Serres]] (1719–1793), painter
* [[Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange]] (1877–1964), [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] and prominent [[Neo-Thomist]] theologian
* [[Nicolas Portal]] (1979–2020), Professional cyclist for AG2R Prévoyance and Director Sportif of World Tour cycling team Ineos (ne Sky)
* [[Patrick Pilet]] (born 1981), racing driver
* [[André Daguin]] (1935–2019), chef


==See also==
* [[Gascony Show]] – English language radio in Auch
* [[Communes of the Gers department]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Auch}}
* [http://www.mairie-auch.fr/ Official website] (in French)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070407225940/http://auch.tecomm.fr/ Unofficial website about Auch] (in French)
{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
{{Gers communes}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Communes of Gers]]
[[Category:Prefectures in France]]
[[Category:Auscii]]
[[Category:Gallia Aquitania]]
[[Category:Armagnac]]